Card-table.



C. W. 'COFFINf CARD TABLE. APPLICATION FILED IIAY 8, |914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witnesses Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

C. W. COFFIN.

CARD TABLE. APPLlcAloN FILED MAY 8. |914.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET 2 7.5

WLM/momo Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

naar rio.

CHARLES W. COFFIN, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. T. BURROWES COM- PANY, 0F PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

CARD-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. ML, 11917..

Application led May 8, 1914. Serial No. 837,158.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known `that I, CHARLES W. COFFIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain neW. and useful Improvements in Card-Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention relates to an improved card table and aims to provide a light, cheap, portable device of this character particularly adapted for club and domestic purposes.

An important characteristic of the invention resides in the particular manner of connecting the cover to the frame, including the special construction of top framing and inserted border, whereby the border serves both as means for securing the cover to the.

frame and also as a molding or finish, and the operation of connecting the parts is much simplified. The usual step of first securing the cover to the frame by tacks is dispensed with, the molding and cover being attached by the same operation, the construction produced being very easy and inexpensive to manufacture while at thesame time presenting a very attractive appear-v ance.

An important novel feature of the invention also resides in the provision of an proved brace for the folding legs and the particular means coperating with the brace and acting automatically when the legs are opened and closed to lock the legs in closed as well as open position.

The invention, with its advantages and the novel construction, combination vand arrangement of parts comprising the same will be understood from the following detailed description considered with the accompanying drawings 'forming a part hereof, and illustrating one embodiment of the lnvention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is aqside elevation of a folding table constructed in accordance with the presmit invention, .v l

Fig 2 is a vertical section through the frame and border showingthe parts assembled Fig.` 3 is a similar yiew illustrating the border partly inserted 1n the frame,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of the brace,

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view, and A, Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a slightly modified construction of border. i

I have illustrated in the drawing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention and in this instance the frame is of rectangular formation comprising bars l suitably connected together. The frame has a top supporting surface 2 and an outer recessed portion 3 having its bottom below the plane of the top supporting surface. 4: designates a relatively light, thin top of paper or other suitable material.` The top is substantially co-extensive with the top supporting surface 2 and is secured to the upper face of the frame by small tacks or in any other suitable way as desired. Stretched over the top is a cover 5 of felt, leatherette, or other suitable material, marginal portions 6 of the cover being brought down into the recessed portion 3 and a border 7 is seated in the recess 3 over the marginal portions 6 of the cover clamping the cover to the frame, the border being conveniently secured to the frame by brads 8.

The border is shown as comprising relatively thin strips 9, which are preferably round in cross section and the recess 3 correspondingly rounded in shape and of a size to receive the strip. The recess is preferably semicircular in contour and molded shallow at points b and c at the sides thereof, so that when the rounded dowel like molding is inserted, the marginal portions of the cover will be tightly clasped or pinched between the molding and Walls of the recess at these points. The border strips 9 maybe connected together by mortise and tenon joints as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing to form a frame, and the border applied in this form to the top framing or, if desired, the strips of the border may be separately inserted in the recess of the top and coveredA at the corners by metal caps 10 as indicated in Fig. 8.

Several important advantages How from this recessed frame and inserted border construction. The border serves both as means for securing the cover to the frame and also as a molding or ornamental nisl'l. The parts can be very quickly and easily assembled, the border and cover being secured by I Q rasate@ frame being eliminated. The relatively wide band ordinarily used to cover up the tacks usually employed to secure the cover to the .frame is dispensed with and the construction produced is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and at the same time presents a very pleasing and attractive appearance. It will also be observed that the border owing to its upper rounded surface willnot offer any obstruction in withdrawing cards from the table over the same as the cards willreadily slip over the rounded surface.

The table is equipped with folding legs 1l adapted to be closed into the space within the frame. The legs are shown pivotally connected to the frame at the corners thereof by screws 12 passin through metal brackets 13 secured to the rame, and entering the sides of the bars 1. Spacing members 14: are introduced between the legs and the frame and the screws have smooth unthreaded inner portions on which the legs pivot. 15 designates braces for the legs, said braces being constructed of rods or flat strips of spring metal. Each of the braces has its inner end portion 15 offset at 16 and pivotally connected to the under side of the frame by pivots 17 Thebrace has a sliding connection with the leg provided by a clip 18 pivotally mounted on the leg, and a pin 19 which serves as a pivot'for the clip. The clip is shown as of substantially U- shape formation and the pin as a screw passing through the free end portions of the clip and entering the leg, the brace being adapted 'to slide within the clip and slidably engage the pin. The brace at its outer portion 1s provided with a notch 20 in one edge thereof, said notch being shown as having a substantially straight side wall 21 the opposite wall 22 of the notch being beveled as it approaches the outer edge of the brace. 23 are stop pins projecting from the inner side of the frame in the path of movement of the inner end portions of the braces. The stop pins 23 are adapted to limit the outward throw of the braces, said pins enaging the inner end portions of the braces just before the legs have been fully opened, the braces being thus yheld at one end against further pivotal movement and on a continued pull of the legs to full open position the brace is flexed and the pin 19 sprung into the ,notch 20 securely locking the legs in open position. When it is desired to fold the legs it is simply necessary to exert pressure outwardly on the braces at its lower portion withdrawing the brace from engagement with the pin,

The means for locking the legs in folding 4or closed position comprises projections 24 on the inner side of the frame. One of said projections is provided for each brace and arranged 'in the path of movement of the inner end portion of the brace, said projection being adapted to automatically engage and lock the brace to the frame when the leg has been'moved to closed position. The projection 23 is provided with inclined or rounded surfaces and the inner end portion of the brace is adapted t0 ride up over the projection passing by the same and springing in position directly in engagement with one side of the projection when the legs are moved to closed position. The pivoted connection of the brace Vwith the frame is such as to permit of the necessary lateral play of the inner end portion of the braces in coperating with thel projections, the braces being of springy material and having their innr end portions normally pressed toward the sides of the frame. The pivots 17 for the braces conveniently take the form of screws having smooth unthreaded outer portions on which the braces slide laterally and pivot, the heads of the screws being spaced from the sides of the frame sufficiently to provide for the necessary lateral play of the upper end portions of the braces. The projections serve to securely hold the parts in folded position against accidental displacement but the legs can be readily unfolded by exerting an outward pull of the legs the inner end portions of the braces being automatically disengaged from the projections. The projection is conveniently provided by a small brad having a rounded head the brad being driven into the frame at the inner side thereof with its head in contact with and projecting laterally from the frame.

It will be noted that the projections on theframe afford a very simple and eiicient means for locking the braces to the frame and maintaining the legs in closed position, the braces being automatically engaged with and disengaged from the projections, the braces being released from locking engagement with the projections simply by exerting an outward pull on the legs.

I desire it to be understood that variations of and minor changes in the particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawing, falling within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from `the nature or broad principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. A card table comprising a frame having a at top supporting surface and a recess extending around the upper outer marginal portion thereof, the bottom wall of the recess extending below the plane of the top supporting surface, a relatively light thin top secured to the upper face of the frame, a cover stretched over the top and having marginal' portions extending into the said recess, a relatively thin strip seated in the frame, said strip having a rounded upper surface and constituting a border portion.

2. A card table comprising a frame having a lat top supporting surface'and a substantially semi-circular shaped recess eX- tending around theupper outer marginal portion thereof, the bottom wall of the recess extending below the plane of the top supporting surface, a relatively light thin top secured to 'the iiat `uppersurface ofthe frame, a cover stretched over the top and having marginal portions extending into the said recess, and a relatively thin strip substantially circular in cross section seated in 15 the said recess and clamping the marginal portions of the cover to the frame, the upper portion of the said strip projecting without the said recess and providing a rounded border.

In testimony whereof Ihereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. CHARLES W. COFFIN.

Witnesses:

L. G. WEYMOUTH, H. H. RUSSELL. 

